Optimal lower estimates for eigenvalue ratios of Schrödinger operators and vibrating strings (Q2568561)

Considered is the eigenvalue problem \(-y''+q(x)y=\lambda y\) with \(q\leq 0\) and Dirichlet boundary conditions and all eigenvalues positive. It is shown that the eigenvalues satisfy \[ \frac{\lambda _m}{\lambda _n}\geq \left(\left[ \frac mn \right]\right)^2 \] for \(m>n\geq1\), with equality if and only if \(m\) is a multiple of \(n\). A similar result holds for Neumann boundary conditions. This complements estimates on eigenvalue ratios for the case \(q\geq0\) obtained by \textit{M. S. Ashbaugh} and \textit{R. D. Benguria} [Commun. Math. Phys. 124, No. 3, 403--415 (1989; Zbl 0677.34027)] and \textit{Y.-L. Huang} and \textit{C. K. Law} [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 124, No. 5, 1427--1436 (1996; Zbl 0966.34024)]. Using the Liouville transform, the above result is applied to the vibrating string eigenvalue problem \[ -y''=\mu\rho(x)y \] on \((0,1)\) with Dirichlet boundary conditions, where \(\rho\) is concave and positive. It is shown that the eigenvalue ratios satisfy \[ \frac{\mu_m}{\mu_n}\geq \left(\left[\frac mn\right]\right)^2 \] for \(m>n>1\), and if \(\rho\in C^2([0,1])\), that equality holds if and only if \(\rho\) is constant and \(m\) a multiple of \(n\). \textbf{Note:} Statement and proof of Lemma 4.1 are incorrect. The function \(\tilde \rho_\epsilon \) belongs to \(C^1([0,1])\), being \(C^\infty \) on the subintervals \([0,\epsilon ]\), \([\epsilon ,1-\epsilon ]\), \(1-\epsilon ,1]\). (The authors state that it is \(C^\infty \) on \([0,1]\).) \(C^1\) is needed in the application to ensure that its second derivative (in the weak sense) is \(L^1\). The function \(\tilde \rho_\epsilon \) given in the proof is not \(C^1\) at \(\epsilon \) and \(1-\epsilon \), in general, but it can easily be modified to become \(C^1\), e.\,g., putting \(L_1(x)=\rho_\epsilon (\epsilon )+\rho_\epsilon '(\epsilon )(x-\epsilon )\), still satisfying \(\tilde\rho _\epsilon \to\rho \) in \(L^1\).